SpaceX scrubs Falcon 9 rocket launch in Florida due to ‘unfavorable weather,’ will retry Wednesday
SpaceX scrubbed a Falcon 9 rocket launch planned for Thursday night over the weather.
4:25 a.m. update:
SpaceX confirmed on social media Thursday’s launch was scrubbed due to “unfavorable weather” near the launch pad.
Due to unfavorable weather, we are standing down from today's Falcon 9 launch of the @Arabsat BADR-8 mission
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 24, 2023
SpaceX crews will try again for another launch attempt around 11:25 p.m. Wednesday.
Channel 9 will continue to monitor the planned launch and will provide updates on Eyewitness News.
Update 2: SpaceX has bumped the targeted launch time back again to 12:45 a.m.
Now targeting 12:45 a.m. ET for launch; team continues to monitor weather
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 24, 2023
Update: SpaceX is now targeting a 12:30 launch of the Falcon 9 rocket, a little over an hour from the original 11:25 p.m. time.
New T-0 of 12:30 a.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of @Arabsat BADR-8
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 24, 2023
Read our earlier coverage below
SpaceX crews are working to launch a Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday night from Florida’s Space Coast.
SpaceX is aiming to launch a communications satellite into orbit for the ARABSAT BADR-8 mission.
The launch window opens at 11:25 p.m.
Watch: SpaceX, Axiom-2 astronauts dock at International Space Station
The weather forecast is 25% favorable for the launch.
SpaceX said the first stage booster for this mission previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, and seven Starlink missions.
Watch: Liftoff: Falcon 9 rocket launches 22 Starlink satellites from the Space Coast
The first stage booster will attempt to land on SpaceX’s “Just Read the Instructions” droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
If the launch is unable to happen Tuesday, there is a backup opportunity available on Wednesday around the same time.
Channel 9 will monitor the rocket launch and will provide live coverage on Eyewitness News.
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